Hansa Records
Hansa Records | |
---|---|
Parent company | Sony Music Entertainment (2008–2009) |
Genre | Various |
Country of origin | Germany |
Hansa Records (also known as Hansa, Hansa Musik Produktion or Hansa International) was a record label based in Berlin, Germany founded in 1962.
History
In the early 1960s, brothers Peter and Thomas Meisel, grandchildren of Will Meisel, who was the founder of German music publisher Edition Meisel & Co. GmbH, assumed responsibility of the family's publishing company upon their grandfather's retirement, and founded Hansa Musik Produktion company and the Hansa record label in 1962.[1] The label's name (and the name of the related recording studio) was inspired by the Hanseatic League, a medieval Northern European maritime trade network.
Initially, the label focused on German artists and Schlager music,[1] later finding commercial success with artists such as Frank Farian's Boney M., Amii Stewart, Aneka, Modern Talking, Milli Vanilli, and others.
In 1977, the label signed an early lineup of The Cure (known at that time as Easy Cure),[2] but wasn't happy with the band's demos and refused to release "Killing an Arab",[3] suggesting that the band record cover songs instead. The band refused, and Hansa dropped them.[4]
In the mid-1980s, after a decline in sales both domestically and internationally, Hansa Records was eventually purchased by
Recording studios
When it became difficult for Hansa to book sufficient recording studio time at the
Selected list of Hansa label artists
- Angletrax
- Blue System
- Boney M.
- C. C. Catch
- Child
- Chilly
- Eruption
- Gilla
- Giorgio Moroder (1969-1972)
- Japan (1978-1979)
- La Mama
- Les McKeown
- Liz Mitchell
- Milli Vanilli
- M.C. Sar & the Real McCoy
- Modern Talking
- Die Prinzen
- Amii Stewart (1979-1981)
- The Twins
Selected list of Hansa label releases (by year)
- Harlem Shuffle" / "Wasn't It You" (1968)
- Xhol Caravan: Electrip (1969)
- Boney M.: Take the Heat off Me (1976)
- Boney M.: Love for Sale (1977)
- Boney M.: Nightflight to Venus (1978)
- Sugar Cane: "Montego Bay" (1978)
- Boney M.: Oceans of Fantasy (1979)
- Japan: Quiet Life (1979)
- New Celeste: On the Line (1979)
- Amii Stewart: Knock on Wood (1979)
- Nick Nicely: "DCT Dreams" (1980)
- Viola Wills: "If You Could Read My Mind" (1980)
- Aneka: "Japanese Boy" (1981)
- The Twins: "Ballet Dancer" (1984)
- Modern Talking: The 1st Album (1985)
- Modern Talking: Let's Talk About Love (1985)
- C. C. Catch: Catch the Catch (1986)
- Chris Norman: Some Hearts Are Diamonds (1986)
- Modern Talking: Ready for Romance (1986)
- Modern Talking: In the Middle of Nowhere (1986)
- Milli Vanilli: All or Nothing (1988)
- John Parr: "Westward Ho" (1990)
- Bonnie Tyler: Bitterblue (1991)
- The Catch featuring Don Snow: 25 Years - The Album (1991)
- Bonnie Tyler: Angel Heart (1992)
- Bonnie Tyler: Silhouette in Red (1993)
- M.C. Sar & the Real McCoy: "Another Night" (1993)
- Modern Talking: Back for Good (1998)
- Modern Talking: Alone (1999)
See also
- List of record labels
References
- ^ a b Maiolo, Alex (May 2013). "Hansa Tonstudio: Berlin's Famous Studio w/ Alex Wende, Tony Visconti, Edu Meyer and more..." Tape Op. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ISBN 0-946391-87-4.
- ^ Frost, Deborah (1 October 1987). "Taking The Cure with Robert". Creem.
- ISBN 0-946391-87-4.
- ^ Spahr, Wolfgang (7 October 2010). "German Industry Veteran Peter Meisel Dies". Billboard. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ a b Bieger, Hannes (June 2012). "Studio File: Hansa Tonstudio, Berlin". Sound On Sound. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ "Meisel Music: History". Meisel Music. Retrieved 5 April 2024.